Panel OKs Santa Clarita Boundaries

Boundaries for the proposed City of Santa Clarita that include less than half as much land as cityhood backers had originally sought were approved Wednesday by the Los Angeles County Local Agency Formation Commission.

Cityhood backers, although expressing disappointment that the entire Santa Clarita Valley was not included, predicted that elected city officials would begin annexing land as soon as the law would allow.

Commissioners voted 6 to 1 in favor of a city of approximately 40 square miles that, for the most part, followed boundaries drawn by LAFCO executive director Ruth Benell. They turned down pleas by City Formation Committee members to include Magic Mountain, the Santa Clarita Valley’s largest employer, and other commercial areas west of the Golden State Freeway.

LAFCO chairman Kenneth I. Chappell offered an amended motion, which failed, that included the amusement park. But even without revenue from Magic Mountain, Benell predicted, the proposed city would have a $3.5-million budget surplus.

Under Commissioner Henri F. Pellissier’s motion, two large housing developments now under construction were omitted: on the northeast, American Beauty Home’s 5,400-home, 988-acre Canyon Park project; and on the southeast, the Valencia Corp.’s 3,700-acre, 10,000-home North River project. But Pellissier included the affluent Sand Canyon residential area.

The community of Castaic and a large portion of Canyon Country remain outside the boundaries.

LAFCO is scheduled to adopt resolutions making its action official May 27. After that, a public hearing will be held before the Board of Supervisors, which will have the final say as to whether the cityhood proposal will be placed on the ballot. Two-thirds of the voters within the boundaries of the proposed city would have to approve the measure.

If supervisors act before Aug. 7, Benell said, there would be time to place the measure on the November ballot. Supervisor Mike Antonovich has written a letter to LAFCO supporting a November election, Benell said.

Santa Clarita City Formation Committee members argued Wednesday for a 75-square-mile city, saying they believed they already had compromised enough by reducing the size of the proposed city from 95 square miles. Neither of the two proposals seemed “too large to us,” said Connie Worden, a committee vice chairman.

Carl Boyer III, committee chairman, said his reaction to the commission’s vote is mixed.

“I’m very happy we’ve come this far,” he said. “But I regret leaving out two more chunks of land. I’m sorry that many people who signed our petitions in Castaic and Canyon Country are disenfranchised.”

Boyer estimated that the proposed city, as adopted by LAFCO, would have a population of about 90,000 people in contrast with the original estimate of 106,000 for the larger city.

Worden said she, too, was disappointed that more land was not included and predicted that any city council elected would begin to annex surrounding areas within six months after incorporation, which is the soonest allowed under state law.

“We really wanted Magic Mountain,” Boyer said.

Not all Santa Clarita Valley civic leaders agreed with Worden and Boyer. Representatives of the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Valencia Industrial Assn. and several developers told commissioners they supported the smaller city because it would have a budget surplus. The larger proposed city, LAFCO officials estimated, would have had a $4-million deficit.

‘Compromise’ Is the Word

“I think the word of the day is compromise,” said Commissioner Thomas E. Jackson. “Nobody is going to be happy with our decision. But it does give the city people enough land and an opportunity to annex in the future. And it protects landowners’ rights.”

Commissioner Hal Bernson, who said he is a strong supporter of local control, noted that sometimes “cities have to start smaller and then annex.” He said he believed the boundaries as adopted are “fair and just.”

Commissioner Pete Schabarum, a member of the Board of Supervisors, cast the lone vote against the boundaries. Schabarum said the county under state law will have to pay $3 million to subsidize the city for six or seven months if the cityhood election is held in November.

He suggested that the election be held in April or June of next year to save the county money.